Air-spring leg

Abstract

An air-spring leg is disclosed having a telescopic element preferably in the form of a shock absorber and having an air chamber of variable volume which is combined with said telescopic element. A casing part is connected for wobbling movement to the cylinder of the telescopic element and also another casing part is provided capable of wobbling movement relative to the piston or piston rod of the telescopic element. A bellows is arranged between these casing parts.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An air-spring leg comprising: a telescopic element in the form of a shock absorber and which comprises a cylinder, a piston retractable therein, and an air chamber of variable volume which is combined with the telescopic element,   a first casing part connected to the piston and surrounding at least a portion of said piston,   a second casing part fastened to the cylinder,   a bellows arranged between the casing parts, and which substantially concentrically surrounds the telescopic element, at least over an axial portion,   wherein one of said casing parts has a diameter smaller than that of the other casing part and is axially retractable into the other casing part during inward spring strokes, and   wherein the second casing part is arranged by its end remote from the bellows for wobbling movement on the cylinder of the telescopic element.   
     
     
       2. An air-spring leg according to claim 1, wherein a flanged collar is arranged on a peripheral surface of the cylinder of the telescopic element, and wherein a flanged annular region on the second casing part is connected for wobbling movement by means of an annular part of elastomer material to said collar. 
     
     
       3. An air-spring leg according to claim 2, wherein the flanged collar and flanged annular region have flat flanged surfaces, the annular part of elastomer material being arranged in at least one of the following positions between said flat flanged surfaces on the cylinder of the telescopic element and on the second casing part on the cylinder side and in an annular gap formed between the cylindrical outer surface of the cylinder of the telescopic element and a cylindrical inner peripheral surface on the second casing part on the cylinder side. 
     
     
       4. An air-spring leg according to claim 3, wherein the casing parts axially overlap one another by means of cylinder segments, and wherein the bellows are U-bellows arranged in an annular space between the cylinder segments, the U-bellows being rollably supported on the outer side of the radially inner cylinder segment and the inner side of the radially outer cylinder segment. 
     
     
       5. An air-spring leg according to claim 2, wherein a leak tightness of the air chamber at the annular part of the elastomer material is insured solely by pressing forces by which the second casing part is forced against the flanged collar via pneumatic pressure of the air chamber. 
     
     
       6. An air-spring leg according to claim 2, wherein the collar has a shape of an annular sector of a spherical surface, an outer surface of which faces the annular part, and the second casing part on the cylinder side rests on the annular part with the flanged annular region which forms a sector of a spherical inner surface concentric to the spherical surface of the collar. 
     
     
       7. An air-spring leg according to claim 6, wherein the casing parts axially overlap one another by means of cylinder segments, and wherein the bellows are U-bellows arranged in an annular space between the cylinder segments, the U-bellows being rollably supported on the outer side of the radially inner cylinder segment and the inner side of the radially outer cylinder segment. 
     
     
       8. An air-spring leg according to claim 2, wherein the collar faces the annular part by a conical outer surface and the second casing part on the cylinder side rests on the annular part by a conical edge. 
     
     
       9. An air-spring leg according to claim 8, wherein the casing parts axially overlap one another by means of cylinder segments, and wherein the bellows are U-bellows arranged in an annular space between the cylinder segments, the U-bellows being rollably supported on the outer side of the radially inner cylinder segment and the inner side of the radially outer cylinder segment. 
     
     
       10. An air-spring leg according to claim 2, wherein the casing parts axially overlap one another by means of cylinder segments, and wherein the bellows are U-bellows arranged in an annular space between the cylinder segments, the U-bellows being rollably supported on the outer side of the radially inner cylinder segment and the inner side of the radially outer cylinder segment. 
     
     
       11. An air-spring leg according to claim 1, wherein the casing parts axially overlap one another by means of cylinder segments, and wherein the bellows are U-bellows arranged in an annular space between the cylinder segments, the U-bellows being rollably supported on the outer side of the radially inner cylinder segment and the inner side of the radially outer cylinder segment.